5 omens for New Year
With the arrival of December 31, each Latin American families have different rituals, cabals or auguries to start the new year.
Plate full of green grapes. / Photo: Pexels – Reference Image
LatinAmerican Post | Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz
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Leer en español: 5 agüeros para Año Nuevo
We present some of these so that you start 2020 with the best energy.
1. Eat twelve grapes
Eating twelve grapes with the twelve bells that indicate the new year is probably one of the most important traditions within the countries of Latin America. This tradition came from Spain and is implemented to have twelve months of good luck and prosperity. Others, for each grape, make a wish that they hope to fulfill throughout the new year.
According to Millennium, there are two theories about this tradition. The first has to do when the bourgeois class imitated the French and began celebrating the New Year by drinking wine and eating grapes. While the second is located in 1909 when there was a surplus harvest of white grapes, and along with the creative way of calling them "in good luck", they became popular.
2. Specific colors on clothes
In order to attract abundance and prosperity, in several Latin American countries, the underwear has to be yellow and to make sure that this comes some even use it backward. In Chile, this type of color also attracts love, luck, and money, it also has to be given away.
To attract love, however, in countries like Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, among others, underwear has to be red. In Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, they prefer to wear pink underwear where they also argue that this color brings good luck.
On the other hand, in Venezuela, brand new clothes are more important and in Argentina, the look can be complemented by wearing white clothes, a superstition that is used to ward off diseases.
Also read: How to treat sunburn caused by the holiday season?
3. Lentils
In countries like Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, among others, they go to lentils to symbolize prosperity in a new year. The tradition dates from the Romans when there was a famine and the legume (which was used as food for the horses), thanks to its easy harvest, it became recognized as a symbol of prosperity.
According to the Huffington Post, some Romans used to give a small leather bag full of lentils to their family and friends, which meant "wishes of good times for the entire city," according to Bio Bio Chile. This tradition takes place in some parts of Colombia, where lentils are given away. While in other countries it is preferred to eat them in dishes or soups.
4. Old Year
Popular in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, the burning of the doll is a popular tradition of this region. It consists of assembling a doll with materials that can burn easily, which is decorated with old clothes. In some cases, the dolls are represented by popular personalities, from politicians to singers.
According to Millennium, the above is done as a custom "rooted in ancient Andean indigenous practices of popular justice, which allows citizens to unleash their anger against those characters." Added to the fact that igniting it forgets the negativity and all the bad things of the year.
5. Attract money
In Mexico, it is usual that on New Year's Eve, a bill, preferably a dollar, bends to attract fortune and is stored in the wallet. In Colombia, it is also usual to keep a bill of another denomination so that there is always prosperity.
In Chile, you can put a garlic clove in your wallet for the same purpose; while others prefer to have thirteen coins, some from another country, to attract prosperity in the new year.
